I read G. Ford's BlackRiver the same weekend I watched the first three episodes of David Simon's new HBO series The Wire, and the juxtaposition of these two works highlighted not only the deficiencies of the novel but also of the contemporary private-eye genre as a whole.

BlackRiver's flaws, though, are the same as those found in the majority of today's crime fiction: the formulaic structure of a TV-movie screenplay, a moral simplicity disguised by hard-boiled prose, and a lingering romanticism that negates any sense of reality.

BlackRiver pretends to wrestle with these same issues, but its villains are cartoonishly evil, its hero is as noble and incorruptible as Galahad, and its plot is resolved as neatly as an episode of Matlock.

Within the BlackRiver lacustuary area, the effects of point source pollution have been minimized to the level that the overall water quality and fish communities are on the verge of recovery.

The BlackRiver RAP is looking for enthusiastic individuals and organizations with a desire to help improve the quality of the BlackRiver as well as the life associated with it.

The BlackRiver Stream Team is a voluntary group of local and state partners who strive to find free resources and expertise for landowners along the BlackRiver who need assistance in repairing an eroded stream bank, removing a log jam obstruction or enhancing wildlife habitat.

Today, part of its bed forms the BlackRiver Riparian Forest and Wetland.

en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Black_River_(Washington) (107 words)

Black River, Missouri(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)

BlackRiver water quality is generally good to very good, flowing clean and clear except in hot, summer months when it will rate good.

The BlackRiver is navigable almost year-round, depending upon local weather conditions, but the prime seasons are from early April through June, and again from September through November, when temperatures are more moderate.

For flatwater paddlers in the northern Arkansas and southern Missouri area the BlackRiver is one more of many really beautiful and fun rivers where boaters can canoe, kayak and raft in a remote wilderness area surrounded by the wonders of Mother Nature's handicraft.

southwestpaddler.com /docs/blackmo2.html (850 words)

Black River Area Chamber of Commerce - Welcome to Black River Country! Black River Falls, WI(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)

BlackRiver Falls, WI BlackRiver Country is a great place for vacationing and holds something in store for everyone, located just two hours from the Mississippi Bridge in the Twin Cities, two hours from Madison, WI and five hours from Chicago.

BlackRiver has something for everyone from Camping to Cabins to Motels and Hotels and Bed and Breakfasts.

The BlackRiver Falls area is the home of over 300 miles of snowmobile trails and over 100 miles of ATV trails.

BlackRiver Harbor, one of only two Harbors within the National Forest System, is a popular recreation area throughout the year.

The harbor is about 15 miles north of Bessemer, Michigan, at the mouth of the BlackRiver which flows through areas of large pine, hemlock and hardwood trees and has a series of scenic waterfalls has it drops to meet Lake Superior.

BlackRiver Harbor is composed of three major recreational areas: the Harbor and adjacent picnic ground; the campground, and the waterfall observation facilities.

The BlackRiver Watershed Project is a project of the Van Buren Conservation District.

The BlackRiver Watershed encompasses approximately 287 square miles in Allegan and Van Buren Counties in southwestern Michigan.

The mission of the BlackRiver Watershed Project is to promote watershed management practices that will restore and maintain the BlackRiver as a healthy sustainable aquatic environment supporting the economic, educational, and recreational needs of the community.

Combining history with one of the most varied pieces of nature in northern New Jersey, the BlackRiver area is perfect for hikers who look for something less strenuous and more entertaining.

The first part of the trail may be a little muddy, and the surface is a little uneven with lots of roots sticking out, but as soon as the trail leaves the last bridge it becomes a wide and very pleasant woods road.

The first time you approach the river there is an easily accessible boulder right over the water, overlooking a particularly wild section of the stream.

www.purdes.com /njhiking/black_river (1632 words)

Black River on Encyclopedia.com(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)

Clearwater Dam is on the river near Piedmont, Mo. 2 River of N N.Y., c.120 mi (190 km) long, rising in the Adirondack Mts.

Black Star ads deemed Ad Age's "Best of Show" in ad competition.

Blacks, Jews, liberals, and crime: is the fl-crime problem a crime problem, or is it a poverty problem, or an education problem?

Welcome to the BlackRiver Stadium and the best rodeo action this side of the great divide.

BlackRiver Rodeos Main Performance starts at 7 pm sharp with a non stop up tempo Rodeo Show performed especially for the crowd by the cream of cowboys and cowgirls - all the best talent from all over North Queensland.

From the moment you drive into BlackRiver you will notice the parking attendants guiding you to your free parking, then the on ground security giving you assurance for your family.

Currently bred at the centre for release are now the highly endangered Echo Parakeet whose population shows the first signs of a recovery as well as the recovering Mauritian Fruit Bat and the still endangered Rodrigues Fruit Bat.

The main reason for visiting this centre is to be allowed to go out with the staff to feed the captive bred but released Mauritius Kestrel at BlackRiver Gorges National Park.

www.encyclopedia.mu /Nature/Fauna/Birds/Sites.htm (1170 words)

Black River Cheese Company(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)

The historic BlackRiver Cheese Company is located in picturesque Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada.

It was started in 1901 by local farmers and is still a small co-operative dedicated to preserving a tradition of making superior cheese.

The upper river (the southern portion) flows through miles of coniferous bog and is fed by numerous springs.

The river is a major life force of the forest and along its tree-lined shores one can see deer, wolves, raccoon, fl bear, otter, bald eagles and ospreys.

Twenty-five miles of river, almost 70 miles of river frontage, 3,200 acres of submerged land, and 9,200-acres of scenic forest await you at the Peshtigo River State Forest, the natural gem of Marinette County.

This section encompasses the East Fork below Buffalo Crossing and the mainstem of the river from the confluence of the east and west forks to the reservation boundary.

Below Buffalo Crossing the BlackRiver and the road part company as the stream begins to drop more steeply toward its confluence with the White River deep within the Fort Apache and San Carlos Apache Indian Reservations.

From the north side of the river, access is available via a trail from the end of FR 25G, the road to the Kettle Holes area.